Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
by AndiKaneUnderwood
Summary: What was that thing that Shakespeare said? Parting is such sweet sorrow? Lauren sniffled and smiled broken to herself. Well, they couldn't have gotten it more right.


Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

**AU: Alpha/Beta/Omega, Powers According to Elements, Canon Divergence**

**Follows some feelings they can travel too (and I never minded being on my own, then something broke in me and I wanted to go home)**

_Jayden Shiba: Alpha, Samurai Red_

_Mike Sato: Alpha, Samurai Green_

_Emily Tanaka: Alpha, Samurai Yellow_

_Mia Watanabe: Omega, Samurai Pink_

_Kevin Yamamoto: Omega, Samurai Blue_

_Antonio Garcia: Omega, Samurai Gold_

_Water:_

_Kevin,_

_You have always been there when I needed you. I could always count on you to have my back in a fight. Thank you for fighting beside me. I am honored to have known you._

Kevin had promised to always follow the Red Ranger, to pledge his allegiance to the Shiba family and fight for a war he may not live to see expire. What he hadn't expected was for the Red Ranger to change.

_You've been a great friend, Kevin, don't ever doubt that. I am so happy to know you and fight beside you._

He'd gotten used to having Jayden around to back him up, to help him should he need it, to be there for him if anything happened to him or Mike. Mike may have been his Alpha, and he loved the Green Ranger with everything in him, but Jayden was both Pack Alpha and his leader. He couldn't deny him anything. Which was why he couldn't deny following the orders when they were given to him.

_You're an excellent Samurai, Kevin, and I'm sorry to leave you, but this is something I must do to ensure everyone stays safe._

Kevin had wanted to go with the Red Ranger because that was _his leader, _but he was told he had a duty. He was a Samurai and hate it as he did, he had to stay with the others and follow Lauren's orders because that what Jayden wanted him to do.

_I have to go away, Kevin. You're going to have to follow Lauren now. Protect her as I've protected you. I know you'll make her as proud of you as you've made me._

So, even when everything in him screamed for him to _follow-comfort-bring him back_, he stayed rooted to the spot and prayed that they'd meet again one day.

_Samurai~Samurai~Samurai_

_Forest:_

_Mike,_

_I'm grateful beyond words to have been able to find another Alpha to learn from. I never thought that having friends or a Pack was in the cards for me when I took up the sword._

Mike wasn't at all happy with the fact that he was being handed off to another leader like a pawn in someone's game. This wasn't what he wanted, this wasn't what was supposed to happen.

_Thank you for showing me how to be a true Alpha, for teaching me what it means to care for an Omega and a Pack. I'm grateful I had the chance to know what it felt like to lead a Pack as well as a team._

His team- his _Pack-_ was supposed to defeat the Nighlock. Not five of the Pack and some stranger they'd never met in their lives. After everything they'd been through together, Jayden was just walking out on them like that? No. No way. Mike wouldn't allow it!

Jayden couldn't. Could he?

_Mike, you have to be Pack Alpha now. I can't be around to look after them. Make sure they stay safe._

It was in an Alpha's nature to protect and ensure the safety of the Pack, but how was _Mike_ supposed to be Pack Alpha? The answer was he was never supposed to be. He didn't have Jayden's ability to intimately understand each of his Pack Mates, he couldn't make them listen to her, not like Jayden could. Mike wasn't able to lead anyone, not able to do _anything_ like Jayden.

_I know you can do it, Mike._

Mike was never supposed to be Pack Alpha.

So why did Jayden leave and make him one?

_Samurai~Samurai~Samurai_

_Sky:_

_Mia,_

_From the moment I met you, I figured you'd be a little different from the rest. I'm sorry you can't have those kids you want. I wish I could go back and stop that attack from reaching you._

Mia was welcoming to Lauren, not because it was demanded of her, but rather because she honestly thought this is what Jayden would want. Jayden would want his sister to feel welcomed into the team just as he had done to the others when they joined.

_You welcomed me into you're heart and life faster than I expected. At first, I didn't know if that was because you were Omega, or if it was just your personality._

Mia _hated_ that Jayden was leaving. She wanted the older to stay, but if Jayden had to leave then who in the world could stop him? Who was Mia to deny the Pack Alpha anything?

_I know you'll understand that this is something I have to do._

Mia had wanted so badly to beg Jayden to stay, but she knew better than to try and talk Jayden out of something that he'd set his mind to. It was just as impossible as breathing with no air.

_Don't let go of hope, Mia. We'll see each other again one day, I promise._

So, it was with a heavy heart that Mia wished Jayden all the luck in the world and smiled at his new leader like Jayden was still there.

_Samurai~Samurai~Samurai_

_Earth:_

_Emily,_

_You were the one I was that most unsure of at first. I'd heard that the original Yellow Ranger had gotten sick and I hoped that you would be up for the task. I understand now that was wrong and I'm sorry for thinking that way._

Jayden had been Emily's biggest supporter when she first joined the team. Emily had been both excited and devastated when she was called to join the others on the front lines. Emily had been homesick the first few days, missing Serena and her comforting presence. Jayden was the one who told her it was okay to be homesick, that it was natural when one was away from home. Jayden was the one who distracted her when she was overcome with sadness and longing.

_You worry so much that you'll never live up to Serena's legacy, but you never saw that you'd built one even stronger. You were a better fit for us. The Heart of the team._

Emily wanted to tell Jayden not to go, to tell him that he was needed there. She wanted to knock some sense back into Jayden and remind him that his place was not out in the wilderness somewhere waiting until the Nighlocks had been defeated to see the team again. Jayden's place had always been with the team, just like Emily's had always been.

_I'm so happy to have known you, Emily. You taught me much about the way the world works and how to live the way I want to live. You taught me not to care about how others felt about me._

Emily wanted to tell Jayden to stay. She wanted to run after him and beg him to come back. He wanted to scream and beg and plead and cry. It wasn't fair! Why did Jayden have to leave?

_You may not be Serena, Emily, but there was never any doubt that you were always an irreplaceable member of our team and our Pack._

But she didn't. All she could do was watch as Jayden left the team for a destiny he shouldn't have to bear.

_Samurai~Samurai~Samurai_

_Light:_

_Antonio,_

_My love. My Omega. My only. It hurts me the most to leave you behind. We've been friends for as long as I can remember. Please don't follow me, Antonio. I couldn't take it if you were hurt because of me._

Antonio had been in love with Jayden since the day he turned seven and had a Panic attack right there on Jayden's front lawn. Jayden had always been there to help him through the worst of the Anxiety; he'd always been there, period. Antonio had been crushed when his father told him they were moving away. He didn't want to leave behind the only friend he'd ever known.

_I'm not sure when you figured it out, but I knew I was in love with you that day you had a Panic attack in the middle of us playing in the front yard and I helped you through it. I'd never seen a person have a Panic attack before you came barreling into my life, nor had I've ever thought I'd have to help someone through it. I guess that just goes to show you how much you changed me._

Antonio had worked so hard to be a Samurai, so he could come back and help Jayden defeat the Nighlock. If Jayden only wanted to be his friend, then Antonio could work with that, he just wanted the Red Ranger in his life. Antonio _loved_ him. Jayden was the one who'd helped the most after Antonio had been switched with a fish. He was _everything_ to Antonio, how could he just up and leave?

_I know you're going to take me leaving the hardest. I know you're going to have questions. I know you're going to hurt. But this is for the best. I wish I didn't have to go. I wish I could stay. I don't want to leave you, Antonio. If there was another way, I'd stay. But I can't. I'm so sorry, Antonio._

All Antonio wanted was for Jayden to be happy. It was his goal when he'd joined the Samurai Rangers and saw just how much the Code had messed with their heads. Not even allowed to have a relationship with your SoulMate because of the war that had to be fought. He hated that it had to be like that. He was grateful when Ji told them that the Code was outdated, that even if the others of the clan didn't like it, he'd protect them. Jayden had given him his first kiss that day. And he was supposed to, what? Pretend that months in a relationship with his SoulMate didn't exist? That _Jayden_ didn't exist?

How could he ask that of him?

_Antonio, this isn't goodbye. I'm coming back to you. When all this is over, I'll come back and take you anywhere you want to go. We'll get our own place, or stay in the Shiba home if you want. Antonio. I'll come back to you. I promise._

How was Antonio supposed to go on like he didn't have a SoulMate out there wandering the Earth and waiting on an ending to a war that may never stop? How could he keep going if he didn't have Jayden beside him; if he wasn't out there by Jayden's side where he was supposed to be?

_I love you so much, Antonio._

Why did it have to go like this?

_Samurai~Samurai~Samurai_

Lauren watched from her seat on the chair as her brother's Pack grieved a loss they couldn't help.

She watched as the Blue Ranger paced.

She watched as the Green Ranger's knee bounced up and down.

She watched as the Pink Ranger sat down next to her with sadness in her scent.

She watched as the Yellow Ranger leaned back against the wall with a sigh.

She watched as the Gold Ranger rocked himself back and forth with his head buried in his arms, soft whimpers coming from his throat.

She hated that Jayden thought he had to do this, that he couldn't stay with her Pack. Her brother thought he couldn't stay with his Pack, God how badly had the Code messed with these kids? How badly had her father's plan to keep his kids safe messed with her little brother? How bad was it that Jayden thought he couldn't stay with his SoulMate? Lauren tried to figure out how to make this right but settled on letting Jayden come back to them on his own. It was the only way Jayden would stay and realize that the only place for him was here. So, she took little offense to the others' dismissiveness. They didn't know her, she didn't know them. They missed Jayden, it wasn't their intention to hurt her with their remarks.

She'd be there for them when they allowed her to be, she'd try to be the best leader she could, and when Jayden came back, then she'd get to know her little brother all over again, and help him in any way she could.

What was that thing that Shakespeare said? Parting is such sweet sorrow? Lauren sniffled and smiled broken to herself.

Well, they couldn't have gotten it more right.


End file.
